Apparati for projecting a ball from a throwing rod are well known. Devices of this type generally employ a ball with a diametrical hole therethrough for slidably engaging a thin, flexible throwing rod. The throwing rod is usually characterized by a handle on one end for grasping and a gradual taper on the other end. In operation, a person slides a ball down the shaft of the throwing rod toward the handle. The ball is thrown by swinging the stick in a whip-like motion toward a target. Centrifugal force causes the ball to slide along the rod and off the end thereof. The speed at which the ball is projected is dependent upon the strength of the throw, the length and flexibility of the throwing rod, and the friction created by the ball sliding along the throwing rod.
Most of the known devices, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,023 issued to Waller on Mar. 29, 1955, utilize a hollow ball, as a solid ball has so much momentum after being projected that it causes great discomfort to a person attempting to catch it. While this may be a concern for some games, clearly not all games require a person on the receiving end of a throw. For example, it has been found that devices of this type are particularly well suited for use on a golf course, following generally the same rules as the game of golf. Because the speeds and distances that can be achieved from such devices are similar to those that can be achieve by striking a golf ball with a golf club, a golf ball with a diametrical hole therethrough can be used with such devices in an extremely entertaining fashion and with a high degree of accuracy.
Using such a device in this manner it was noticed that, as in the game of golf, at each successive throw the target is at a different distance from the ball. No provision is made in the devices of the currently known art for throwing rods with distinct distance ranges, as found in a set golf clubs with varying lengths. Clearly, such a game would be more enjoyable if specific distances could be achieved with consistency. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.